To Weigh One's Options
by Lucy Kent
Summary: The most important choice Narcissa Malfoy ever made.


**A short story following Narcissa Malfoy during the moment's of Harry's "death" and her thoughts on the matter. This is an entry for "The Dream Challenge._"_  
**

**_Sieve - To see a sieve in your dream signifies your ability to weigh your options and make wise decisions._**

* * *

When her Lord had killed the boy, she had felt her heart stop. She had no love for the boy, but he was so much like her Draco in so many ways. When the boy fell to the ground, there was no cheer. Simply mutterings as the group tried to decide what to do next, unsure if the boy they had feared for so long was truly dead. Her Lord was furious at their disbelief, and she kept her head down.

"Well? Is he dead?" Her Lord called out, and she noticed just a trace of doubt in his voice.

No one moved, no one spoke. Narcissa was glancing around to see reactions, when she caught her Lord's eye. "Examine him!" He shouted, as he cast a spell her way. She knew that she had to let it hit. She couldn't help a squeal of pain as the spell ate the flesh from her arm. She hurried over to the boy, and kept her mask in place as she saw the dead body. But even though everything pointed to the boy being dead, he had just been hit by the Killing Curse, she bent down and began to feel the boy's body. And she found that he was breathing shallowly, as though not to be noticed. But she noticed it.

She hardly controlled herself as she leaned over the boy to whisper, "Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?" There was a moment's pause when fear clutched at her heart, but then the boy whispered back. "Yes."

Relief coursed through her. Only years of training held her mask in place. But a decision needed to be made. If she told her Lord the truth, that Potter was still alive, he would most likely kill her, simply for being the messenger. But could she lie him? Could she lie to this man?

Yes she could. She realized that if she died, her husband would never be able to break from the madman. And if that was the case, Draco would remain in danger, would probably die by his had. But if this boy could kill the Dark Lord, if this boy... Narcissa knew what she had to do. She released the boy and stood.

"The boy is dead." She kept her face still as almost everyone in the crowd began to cheer. The main exception was her husband, who looked so helpless that she immediately went to his side, and in an uncharacteristic display, gripped his hand for just a moment giving him support. He eyed her, she mouthed to him "for Draco." He nodded his head.

Than they were all in a procession heading towards Hogwarts, and Narcissa could feel hope bloom in her chest. No one else had noticed that Potter was alive. Even that bumbling oaf who carried him didn't suspect. They were so close, and soon they would be at the castle, and than she could find her son, and take him away from this madhouse. She would leave the castle to decide what it would, but she would protect her son.

As they approached the castle, she found that she and her husband were at the very back of the group. She knew that she had to say something to him. So she grabbed her husband's arm and held him still for a moment. Than muttering a spell that made their conversation ignored by all she spoke. And they continued to walk.

"Lucius. Draco is alive."

Her husband gasped. "How do you know this?"

She looked at him, carefully deciding what to say. "Do you still believe in him?"

"He will take over the world, this is not the time to be doubting him. Our only ho... barrier, was Potter. But now he is dead."

She had heard his slip of the tongue, "But do you still believe in him? Will he protect us? Will we rise above all the impure wizards and stand above them all?"

There was a moment's silence before, "No."

"Then listen to me carefully. Potter is not dead." He gaped at her. "Yes I lied. I don't know how he survived the Killing Curse a second time. But I asked him, Draco is alive. And he is in the castle. This is our chance."

"But..."

"No. We don't know if Potter can do anything. But at least he will cause a distraction. During that time, let's grab our son and get out of here."

"But what if the Dark Lord succeeds? He will come hunting for us."

"Than we will leave the country. Or I will, and I will take Draco. It's your choice whether you want to come with us or not." She added gently. And she knew her husband enough to know that he would never breathe a word of this to anyone. He loved their son just as much as she did.

"I would come with you." He declared.

"I knew you would." She leaned over and gave him a quick chaste kiss on his lips, and dropped the shields. "Now let's go get our son."


End file.
